The Prototype
by ThatBlueInk
Summary: After confronting Dr. Wily on his newly created virus that caused his Robots Master to rebel against him, Mega Man finds himself in the underground caverns of his fortress. With no other option but to investigate, he searches the caves to find out more of Wily's plans, unaware that what awaits him will prove to be a threat greater than anything he has ever faced


The Prototype

**A/N: Hey, everyone! Back again. So, to ease back into the swing of things, I decided to go with a simple Mega Man piece.**

**I wrote this little fic inspired by the fan game Mega Man Unlimited by MegaPhilX to celebrate the Mega Man X Legacy Collection and Mega Man 11 when they came out. I uploaded it to my DA account but didn't upload it here. So, I figured that this place would be as right as any to share what I wrote.  
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**I'm pretty happy with this one.  
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**And so, without further delay, enjoy!**

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_ In his battles up to now, it became clear to Mega Man that his nemesis, Dr. Wily, was not responsible for his Robots Master rebelling against him. However, he revealed that he was responsible for the virus that caused them to strike out against him in the first place. It was also apparent that this new virus was unlike anything the world had ever seen. It was able to affect and corrupt, Wily's Robot Masters, Proto Man, and even Bass, the strong of Wily's machines._

_And yet, to his surprise, Mega Man found himself unaffected by the virus despite his battles with robots that were. With the knowledge that he was the only one able to get the bottom of the situation, Mega Man set out the remains of Wily's castle, only to find the mad doctor ambushing as soon as she reached the heart of the castle. As per the usual outcome of their bout, Mega Man defeated his latest Wily Machine. However, he didn't resort to his typical tactic of begging for mercy. Instead, Wily smirked and retreated to his saucer and set his machine to self-destruction. The explosion caused the floor to crumble and Mega Man to fall through into the abyss._

_Only fate knows what awaits him at the bottom, and what awaits him is set to change the world in ways he cannot possibly imagine…_

Darkness was all there was, nothing to witness but the endless void. Suddenly, a streak of light ran through the blackness as a set of eyes opened themselves to the world.

As he came to, Mega Man awaked with a groan. He winced with a jolt of pain surging through his body. With as much strength as he could muster, he rose above the rubble and debris underneath and pushed himself to his feet.

"Ugh, there will never be a time when I enjoy crashing on the ground…" Mega Man said. He stumbled with every step he took, walking down the wreckage. "But aside from that, just where am I?" He reached the ground and looked around all directions.

Mega Man then scanned the large cavern and saw that only red lights that provided any illumination. Bright red slated W's flickered in the vast space between the lights. Mega Man looked on at the letters, seeing that they trailed along both sides of the cavern. His eyes narrowed, and his hands squeezed into fists.

"Wily…!" Mega Man said with a growl. He raised his right arm and, in flash of blue light, formed his hand into his signature Mega Buster. "I knew that he was up to something. If it wasn't just the virus, it was something else. And it looks like I just found 'something else.'"

Mega Man held his Buster into his hand and began to tread through the tunnel. With every step, he looked at the lights and W's. His lips slanted, and his eyebrow quirked as he looked around.

"What kind of a cavern is this? It seems to go on forever," Mega Man said. All that was apparent to him were the lights that seemed endless.

His feet then tapped against metal, and he jumped when he heard the sound. He looked down to find himself walked on a metal floor rather than dirt, but he continued walking.

"Just what are you hiding, Wily?"

Mega Man continued moving, and the brimming W's started to disappear one by one. Mega Man stopped and took hold of his Buster. He aimed from left to right to cover his blind spots. A bright red flashed with high brightness as if from nowhere, and Mega Man circled with his Buster at the ready. He saw the light brightening at a wall and settled his weapon to his side.

"Is that the end?" Mega Man asked, tilting of his head. He walked until he reached the wall. There, Mega Man squinted his eyes at the wall and noticed a long crease that ran vertically in the middle. He stepped back and looked at the wall. His eyes glowed a brighter shade of their usual blue. Through his view, his visual interface showed several specks and charts, as well as a large, purple skull with a purple meter placed next to it.

"It's strange," Mega Man said. "I'm picking up the same energy signature of Wily's virus behind this door. Only, this signal is more powerful than the ones I detected from Wily's robots, a lot more powerful!"

Mega Man's eyes returned to their average brightness, and he returned his hand to normal as before stepped up to the door. "Whatever is behind this wall, it's likely the source of the virus. I need to destroy it before it spreads out of control."

Mega Man reached out his hands wedged his fingers into the crease. He placed his strength into his arms and pulled at the opposite doors. Mega Man's teeth gritted together, and his brows drew as one. As he pushed, the crease in the doorway began to give way.

"C'mon. C'mon!" Mega Man said through his gnashed teeth. He clenched tighter and pulled harder at the doors. Little by little, the gap between widened. With a final draw of his strength, Mega Man forced the two doors apart. There, he stood and looked on into the blackness.

He summoned his Mega Buster and walked inside. Behind him, the doors closed shut, leaving him in darkness.

Without warning, light from all sides emerged; in the walls. Mega Man jumped as more lights flashed on in the room. He aimed with his Buster, following the lights as they traveled up to the ceiling one by one. His eyes darted to each light as they turned on. The lights flashed on along the walls and up to the roof before they ended at one dark space.

Mega Man turned his attention to the one dark space and lowered his Buster. "They… stopped?"

Then, in the space, a red light flashed, and Mega Man targeted with his Buster. The brightness grew and began to take shape.

"Wait! What is that?" Mega Man said. His eyes still focused on the light; he noticed something within it. He watched, finding what seemed to be red glass in the shape of a capsule with red tubes connected to both sides and reaching to the ceiling.

Mega Man peered at the capsule and stepped forward. As the light began to dim, he noticed what looked like a shade behind the glass.

The silhouette appeared to be humanoid; the head, body, arms, and legs were still. Mega Man tilted his head, curious at the thing inside.  
"That thing…"

In an instant, a blue light flashed the figure's eyes would be, and Mega Man readied his Mega Buster once more. The figure began stirring, its fingers wriggled to life and clenched into fists.

"It's alive!" Mega Man shouted. The figure above raised its arms and jabbed at the glass.

Cracks immediately formed at the punch, and Mega Man stepped back on alert. The figure punched at the glass again and again. With every blow, spider crack stretched themselves on the glass. The figure pulled back its arm once more and slammed his fist hard, the glass shattered into pieces at the force of the blow.

The varied sized fragments of red glass glimmered in the lights as they fell. Above, the figure's body leaned stumbled out of the opening of the now damaged capsule. Its body dropped through the air like a stone and crashed hard onto the floor amongst the glass.

His Buster still aimed, Mega Man walked over to the body. His eye studied the mysterious being's form as it laid on the floor. The grey metallic plating of armor showed signs that it was robotic despite that it also had the appearance of a young man just as Mega Man did. However, the most notable element was what appeared to be blonde hair running down the back of the head.

Mega Man quirked a brow. "One of Wily's robots? But, this one looks barely finished. He must've left here to be completed later, but it doesn't seem like its functioning now."

Mega Man now towered over the robot's body. Although he had his Buster aimed, he remained still. Time seemed to have stopped at that moment.

Then, when time seemed to have stopped at that moment, the robot's finger started to move, and Mega Man stepped away from the body. Its hands, then its legs, arms, and body all roused to life, and it pushed itself up and slowly rose to its feet.

"What in the…" Mega Man's eyes widened. He scanned the front of the robot's body, finding a blue crystal embedded into its forehead, and red 'W' etched on its chest. His eyes all of a sudden brimmed to full brightness.

"Wait!" His optic interface flashed over the robot. Numerous stats appeared connected to its arms, legs, and chest with bars in charts that grew, a waving purple aura formed around the machine, pulsing as the energy levels continued to grow.

"No way!" Mega Man said, voice almost breathless. "These are the same readings when I first came here! This Robot! It has to be the source of the virus!"

Mega Man jumped without hesitation far back from the robot and readied his Mega Buster. However, the robot did not move. Mega Man only looked into the strange machine's eyes, and it looked into his. The robot blinked and started to walk in Mega Man's direction.

"_My prototype. My masterpiece_!" Wily's voice called in its head. Its eyes stretched, and it grounded its jaw. "_After him! He's my nemesis; our rivalry is what gives me motivation in life._" The robot's eyes started to tense as it drew closer to Mega Man. All of a sudden, it stopped in place and balled its fists. "_Now go! Destroy him, that's an order!_"

With a final flex of his eyes, they settled.

"You're… Mega Man…" It addressed.

Mega Man straightened his arm and stepped back, and the barrel of his Buster began to glow with yellow energy.

"I will destroy you!" The robot's eyes stretched, and it charged at Mega Man.

Mega Man saw the robot dash and instantly appear mere inches from him. "What!?"

He readied his Mega Buster, but the robot closed in. The robot stuck its fist into Mega Man's chest. Mega Man coughed out air as the wind left his body flew back from the blow. He flew through the air and crashed the wall behind him. The impact bent the wall, embedding him into the metal.

Mega Man's body twitched his entire body ached. He raised his head with gritted teeth, and his eyes creaked open. They trembled with horror as he witnessed the robot come for him again.

The moment the robot raised its fist and Mega Man looked into its cold, still blue eyes. He saw in them nothing but only the intent to attack and destroy. He arched his back with a groan and forced his upper body from the wall and propped his legs free.

The robot swung its fist, and Mega Man kicked himself against the wall into the air. The robot smashed his fist against already dented metal, punching clean through it. Mega Man then flipped into the air, he set his gaze on his attack and aimed his Mega Buster as he turned upside down.

The Buster's barrel brimmed with energy as Mega Man readied himself, and fired three shots. The robot pulled its arm free from the wall and bolted away as the energy bullets hit at the wall with a moderate blast.

Mega Man landed on the floor and turned around, finding the ruined wall with the robot standing next to the hole.

"It's fast! Even faster than Quick Man!" Mega Man said. The robot in front glared back at him. It took and stance and moved again, running with its fists pulled back.

Mega man aimed his Buster and fired one shot, then another.

The robot sneered and drew its arm across its chest as it ran and swatted the energy bullets away into the air. The bullets exploded as they hit the upper part of a wall.

"No way!" Mega Man cried out at the sight of his failed attack. The sound of feet clicking against the floor forced his attention to back the robot. He tried to move fast, but the robot was faster. It dashed at Mega Man, after images of its likeness followed in its trail of speed, and struck Mega Man's face with another sharp blow.

Mega Man's reeled from the punch. A faint groan escaped his mouth as his body crooked. The robot pursued and lashed a kick at Mega Man's side, striking him as he raised his arm to guard. Mega Man's legs trembled at the robot's might. It gave a final push and forced Mega Man flying back from the force. He flipped back and skidded his feet on the floor.

"Darn it!" Mega Man snapped. He fanned out his hands. Two small streaks of light flashed and formed into Metal Blades in his hands.

He gripped the blades into his fingers and jumped in the air. He threw the sawblades down at the robot. The blades spun as they raced in the air, their serrated edges flicked with reflected light. The robot held out his hands and caught the jagged edges in between his fingers.

Mega Man's eye bugged, and the robot drew back its arms and threw the first Metal Blade and then the other with great force at Mega Man. He gritted his teeth and shifted his body to the left, evading the first blade by mere inches away from his face and stuck itself in the wall. He looked with a gasp when the second blade it closed in. He leaned back, gnashing his teeth in his already awkward position being airborne. The blade slightly grazed him, creating small sparks that scattered as the metal brushed against his body and zipped away to the air stabbed into the wall.

Mega Man, who stumbled upon landing to his feet, his hand clutching at his chest. He moved it to find a thin grove where the blade had cut him, and he raised his head with a huff.

"Just what is this thing?" Mega Man whispered. "It caught my Metal Blades like they were toys, and nearly cut me in half with them. He clenched his fist, gazing into the robot's eyes. He saw them as they were, still, and without the slightest doubt. "That look in its eyes! Like… like it's two steps ahead of me!"

All became silent. The robot raised its right hand with its fingers spread. Soon a column of light beamed over its palms. The robot clenched the light, and it dispersed into a flash of small sparkles, revealing what appeared to be the handle of a sword in its grip.

Mega Man narrowed his eyes at the device. "What is that?"

The robot drew the handle to its side. Its eyes opened until they were half-lidded, and set their gaze on the hilt. Without warning, they flexed, stretching wide open, and a ray a green light emitted from the opening of the handle The light settled and manifested into a blade of green energy.

"A…beam sword?"Mega Man questioned. His eyes followed along the energy blade.

The robot gripped the bottom end of the sword with his free hand. It widened its stance and glared at Mega Man as it balanced its arms.

"Now…," It tightened its grip on its sword. "Get ready!" It shouted, eyes flared, and dashed off at Mega Man.

Mega Man readied his Mega Buster once more as the robot raised its sword. The robot slashed and missed as Mega Man dodged, grazing his shoulder. Mega Man skidded his feet to brake himself and aimed at the robot.

"Crash Bomber!" Mega Man shouted. The barrel of his Mega Buster brimmed with light and fired a rounded orange bomb with a sharp point.

The robot turned to the Crash Bomber that soared toward it. The bomb's orange top blinked with light. The robot dashed towards the bomb with a swing of its sword and sliced the bomb two. The bisected pieces of the weapon flew past the robot and erupted in a fiery blast.

The blast rumbled loud, shaking the entire room, and Mega Man shielded his eyes from the light of the roaring flames. The fires soon faded, leaving only clouds smoke and rushed at Mega Man. Mega Man jumped back, yet the robot neared him fast and swung his sword. The blade slashed upward at Mega Man's chest, and he cried out, eye bloodshot from the pain.

Mega Man droop to the floor. His body trembled, arms quaking as he raised himself. Groans emerged through his gritted teeth, and he stood to his feet.

The robot looked at Mega Man, took and single step, and rushed at him. Mega Man, He witnessed the robot come for him and drew his arm to the side. His Mega Buster glowed, and a pointed electrode rose from the barrel.

Mega Man's eyes went round as he aimed. "Spark Shock!" He cried and fired a ball of sparking electricity. The ball crackled with branches of energy as it neared the robot.

However, the robot stopped with a stomp of its feet and drew his beam sword when it halted. The Spark Shock crashed against the sword and the energy scattered along its length. Mega Man's eyes winded, watching the electricity dance around the beam sword.

The robot then raised the sword over its head and swung at the floor. The blade struck and electricity scattered across the floor's metal, speeding to Mega Man. The voltage crashed against him, and he screamed in agony. His body arched, fingers flexed out control with the electrically swarming around his body. His voice echoed throughout the room, and light formed from the voltage.

The robot watched with a still face, focused on Mega Man as he screamed.

The electrically around Mega Man soon faded along with the light, and Mega Man stumbled. His body hobbled, and his feet struggled to remain. He tilted over but stopped with both feet aligned.

The robot looked to its lifeless opponent. It drew its sword to the side.

Silence once against took over.

Just as quietness settled, Mega Man sprung to life with his head raised. He looked at the robot with flaring eyes and aimed his Mega Buster. All of a sudden, the robot disappeared in a dash. Mega Mega Man looked in all directions to track the robot and wave of green energy sliced clean through the arm. Mega Man looked over, his eyes pulsing. He found his arm severed, electric sparks bled from the exposed and damaged circuitry, and his Mega Buster flew in the air before falling to the floor.

His eyes trembled. He turned his head, sluggish in his movement, and came to the robot standing behind him. His remaining arm also began to shudder.

"You disappoint me!" The robot scorned, its voice lowed and raspy. It lashed out and kicked Mega Man in his body.

Mega Man coughed as the robot struck his chest, he flew across the room and crashed hard on the floor, rolling before he stopped on his front.

The robot looked over to Mega Man, who laid on the floor unresponsive. After a brief silence, he began to walk toward Mega Man, his sword drawn to his side. He then stopped midway.

In front, Mega Man's began to stir. His hand pressed against the floor, struggling to push himself up. His knees shook as he rose to his feet. There he stood, his one arm limp, and his head hung low.

"Not yet... not yet..." Mega Man grunted. He stepped, stumbling as he walked. He then raised his head, and a blue aura began to surround him. His armor started to shine and pulse with light.

The robot's eyes brightened. Through its vision, a bar graph formed in his optic sensors, glowing as it grew higher. Suddenly a line of words, 'WARNING! Enemy Power Level Increasing' streamed across in his vision. Its eyes dimmed, and his beam sword vanished from his hand.

Mega Man's eyes grew bright with the same light that enveloped his body, and He widened his stance.

"Time to get serious!" He said.

He then charged, and the robot narrowed its eyes and clenched its fists. Mega Man approached the robot and threw his fist. The robot evaded the punch, and Mega Man followed with a high kick. The robot bent its body, avoiding the strike.

The robot stepped back with barred teeth and swung at Mega Man with its. Mega Man braced his legs and caught the fist in his hand. The robot growled and pulled back to break free, but Mega Man tightened his grip. The robot drew its arm back and punched at Mega Man's, forcing him back and break his hold. The robot raised his free hand into the air, and an aura of light surrounded it.

Mega Man looked at the hand with widened, and the robot lunged at him. With a shout, the robot slammed its fist hard onto the floor, and streaks of light shot out and broke to break apart the floor's metal in scattered rays. Mega Man raised his guard as he looked at the light and jumped into the air.

The streaks of light continued to grow and erupted and exploded in a fiery blast. The explosion rattled the walls and floor with a loud boom. The light from the fires flickered across the entirety of the room.

A thick black cloud of smoke plumed and raised the ceiling. All of a sudden, a swift gray blur shot up from within the smoke, revealing itself to be the robot ascending high into the air.

"Where…," the robot said. It looked around, and its jaw clenched as its eye doted from one direction to another as they searched the room. The robot turned until its back faced the other side.

Behind, and a blue blur zipped from the smoke cloud as it started to fade. High above, a bluish light shined. The light overgrew, filling the upper part of the room. The robot noticed its shadow appear on a wall and turned around with haste. It looked skyward, and it's eye flared.

In the air, the light was dimmed down, revealing Mega Man armed with his Mega Buster of his left hand. His arm cannon pulsed with energy, and he shined brighter.

"Takes this! Charge Shot!" Mega Man shouted. Immediately, a roaring boom echoed in the room as a massive blast of blue energy shot from his Mega Buster. The robot crossed its arms over its body, and the energy shot crashed into him. The robot growled as the massive energy shot was pushing him down through the air. Its arms buckled under the weight force of the blast.

The robot collided by his back against the floor along with the Charge Shot in a massive bright blue explosion. The light formed by the blast lit the room with smoke plummed into a giant dark cloud.

Mega Man dropped down and landed on his feet. His eyes drooped as he watched the fires die within the smoke. Panting, hunched, almost falling over, Mega Man straightened his posture, and a small open smile drew across his face.

"I… I got him!" He gasped in between laughs. His eyes drew to a close, and he lowered his head. His Mega Buster transformed back into his natural hand.

The cloud of smoke remained but soon started to fade. As it did, a shadow appeared in the within it., and the sound of footsteps echoed.

Mega Man's eyes shuddered, and he jolted his head up. His eyes looked to the silhouette. His jaw lowered, and his eyes trembled with each instance the sound of feet touching the floor.

The silhouette passed through smoke, revealing to be the robot as it emerged from the remnants of the cloud.

Mega Man stepped back. "H-how…?" He gasped, his voice reduced to a low whisper.

The robot gave an icy glare at Mega Man with its cold eyes. "No more games!" It said.

With a single step, it dashed in a blur, closing in on Mega Man with his fist reeled back. Fear flashed in Mega Man's eyes, and the robot slammed its fist into his chin. The punch knocked back his head, sending off his helmet, and flew into the air from the force.

Mega Man's body soared, high in the room, and smashed into the robot's capsule. His body went limp as glass shards scattered from the impact. His eye grew blank, and he dropped down hard onto the floor. Above, the red tubes that connected to the side of the capsule snapped from the capsule, leaving it to fall.

Capsule dropped and fell onto Mega Man in a sound crash, creating a wave of scrap metal, glass, and dust. The debris scattered, and the robot found the now broken capsule rested on the body of a decimated Mega Man. It drew its hand, and its beam sword emerged in a flash of light in its grip. Armed, it began to make its way towards his fallen foe.

Under the capsule, Mega Man braced his hand to the floor and pushed, but could not rise. He grunted, and a thin trail of blood trickled down his head as he struggled. His arm buckled in an attempt to support his body. He lifted his head, finding the robot towering over him.

The robot looked down at Mega Man, its eyes scanning his head. It looked at his ruffled brown hair now exposed without his helmet, the blood that trickled in a thin trail down the side of his face, and finally, the stub of remained of his severed arm.

"You thought you were better then you are!" The robot sneered.

Mega Man said not, he could look at the robot face to face. He groaned through his teeth as he tried to push himself once more, but couldn't rise.

The robot raised placed his free hand onto the beam sword's handle and held it over his head. The blade glowed and ignited into a bright stream of green energy that grew in size. It swung down its sword, and Mega Man squeezed his eyes shut for the end.

"Now! Genmu Ze-"

The sword neared Mega Man's face, and but halted in an instant. A few seconds passed, Mega Man opened his eyes. He found that blade close to him, but not close enough to harm him. He then turned his attention to and raised a brow when he saw it. The robot stood frozen in place, mouth agape. A few gasps escaped it, and a 'W' formed within its head crystal.

"What's… happening to it?" Mega Man questioned, his voice weak. He looked at the symbol in the robot's head, and his vision started to blur.

The robot stepped back, dropping its beam sword. It grabbed its head and reeled it with a scream. Its cries became louder, and it started to thrash itself around in utter torment. The robot collapsed to its knees; hands still clutched to its head as it cried out.

Without any more strength, Mega Man's arm gave out, and he gave out onto the floor.

"Power levels...fading... My strength... getting…weaker...," he said. His vision shifted between bright and blurred, and his eyes grew heavy with each passing second. "Is that symbol… hurting it? But why?"

Everything started to grow black in his eyes. In the corner of his view, Mega Man noticed a lone figure step forth to him. He looked to the figure, but could only make out sizeable fin-like features that rested at the sides of the figure's head.

"Looks like Wily's new favorite was too much for you, huh, Blue Boy?" The figure said. "But don't get it twisted, I'm not here to save you! It's just that I'd sooner be recycled before I let some glorified, girlie-haired tin-can do you in and make me miss my chance!"

Mega Man saw the figure kneel and reach a hand out to him. But all too soon, his vision gave into full darkness, and the robot's pained screams soon faded into the void.

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**A/N: Oh man, now that was fun! I hope you all enjoyed this little fic. I had thoughts of making a sequel, but I probably mull that one over for a while.**

**In any case, read and review, and I'll catch y'all later. **

**T.B.I. out! **


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